Ozuna's on-base streak ends at 36 straight

MIAMI -- For the past five weeks, Marcell Ozuna certainly enjoyed the ride.

The Marlins' center fielder had strung together 36 straight games of reaching base safely, the longest such stretch in the Majors this season. But on Monday night, facing lefty Jeff Locke of the Pirates, Ozuna was hitless in three at-bats in a 10-0 loss at Marlins Park.

MIAMI -- For the past five weeks, Marcell Ozuna certainly enjoyed the ride.

The Marlins' center fielder had strung together 36 straight games of reaching base safely, the longest such stretch in the Majors this season. But on Monday night, facing lefty Jeff Locke of the Pirates, Ozuna was hitless in three at-bats in a 10-0 loss at Marlins Park.

"It meant a lot because it meant that I maintained my swing and showed a lot of patience at the plate," the 25-year-old said. "Now it's a matter of maintaining that and moving forward. It's sad when you see your streak end, but what can you do? You just have to keep battling. Tomorrow is a new day."

Over the 36 games, Ozuna was 55-for-138 and had a slash line of .399/.455/.710. He added nine homers and 23 RBIs, with eight doubles and four triples.

Also snapped was Ozuna's 11-game hitting streak.

"Pretty amazing," manager Don Mattingly said. "For a while it was a hitting streak, and then the on-base streak. I think it just shows what kind of year he is having. It's an individual thing. You love to see guys having that type of thing going. Jose [Fernandez] gets the Player of the Week not too long ago."

In his first at-bat, Ozuna drove a ball to the wall in left that was caught. He also lined to center, and in the eighth inning tapped to second base.

"You're happy for the guys," Mattingly said of individual accomplishments. "It shows growth, that's what we want. We need more guys over the course of the season to do that consistently. It tells you we have some guys capable of things like that."

The Marlins have been asking for Ozuna to do his share of picking up the offense, which has been without Giancarlo Stanton (right side soreness) since last Wednesday.

Ozuna fell short of the franchise record of 46 straight games, set by Luis Castillo in 2002.

"You never want to focus too much on breaking individual records, but more on maintaining yourself physically and continuing to execute the adjustments you've made at the plate," Ozuna said. "My streak died fighting. I had good at-bats and hoped the ball could find the hole, but it didn't happen. Tomorrow is another day, and time to start another streak."